Of the Power of the Keys, Chapter 2
CAP. II.
HAving proceeded thus far by way of generall precognition, Sect. 1 that which is behind, will, I conceive, be moſt intelligible, if it be reduced to theſe few heads. 1. On whom this power was beſtowed. 2. In what it conſiſts. 3. To what uſe 'tis deſigned, and to what ſort of men it belongs objectivè, or who are to be bound and looſed. 4. What is the reall effect of it, or what conjunction it hath with binding and looſing in Heaven.
For the firſt, though to him that conſidereth the place of Sect. 2 Matth. 18. alone by it ſelfe (which is an obſcure place) the matter be not ſo cleare to whom this power was given by Chriſt, and though thereupon ſome miſtakes have ariſen, and occaſion of conceiting this power of binding, &c. to be inſtated by Chriſt on the whole aggregate of any particular Church, yet ſurely the matter will be ſufficiently clear, if (as it is moſt reaſonable) we firſt allow that obſcure place leave to borrow light from the two other moſt evident ones (and not obſcure the more evident by that:) and ſecondly (after we have brought that light to it) obſerve, what glimmerings of light we ſhall be able to diſcern (by that help) even in that obſcure place it ſelfe, which will (as the weak light of the Moon, with that treaſure of light, borrowed from the Sun, added to it) become by this meanes exceeding lightſome. For although theſe three places are not parallel one to the other, in reſpect of the times and occaſions of delivering them, and other circumſtances, yet there is no doubt, but they belong all to the ſame generall matter, the power of binding, &c. And that being (as it is apparent even by that of Matth. 18.18.) inſtated not on the whole world, or community of men, but determinated to ſome peculiar ſubject, there is all reaſon to reſolve that that ſubject, though diverſly expreſt, is yet the ſame in all thoſe places, unleſſe ſome evidence of Scripture or authentick teſtimony of antient Church, or practiſe ſhall demonſtrate the contrary; which that it doth not, will (as far as concerns the Scripture, which deſerves our firſt ſearch) be thus cleared by conſidering the ſeverall places.
And firſt Matth. 16.19. which was occaſioned thus; Chriſt Sect. 3 examining his diſciples what opinion they had of him, is anſwered by Simon, that he was the Chriſt, the Meſſias, the Sonne of the living God, verſ. 16. upon which Chriſt pronounceth him a bleſſed perſon, as having received the ſupernatural gift of faith from God himſelfe, which no humane means could have helpt him to, and upon this, changes his name from Simon Bar-Jona (the only name he had, verſ. 17.) to Cephas in Syriack, that is foreign in Greek, or as Homer and other good Authors, and (which beares moſt affinitie with the dialect of this book) the Author of the ſecond book of Mac. cap. 4.31. uſed it in the maſculine foreign, ſignifying a rock or ſtone, to Intimate that he ſhould be (as a foundation or ſtrong rocky ſtone in a building is a principall ingredient in the building, and a meanes of the future ſtability of it, Matth. 7.25. the ſtorme and flouds and winds came upon it, and it fell not, becauſe foreign, it was founded on ſuch a firme rocky ſtone) a principal part, call it foundation, or rocke, or pillar of that Church of Chriſtians, which partly by this confeſſion of his, here recorded to all poſterity, and partly by his future teaching, he ſhould be a meanes to erect for Chriſts ſervice: and then being ſo glorious an Inſtument of converting ſo many, Chriſt is pleaſed to give him the Keyes of this Kingdome; foreign. Theophyl. in Mat. 16. authoritatively he gave him the keyes, as his Father had done the Revelation, foreign, &c. as he goes on, a power of binding and looſing, &c. ſo foreign, the pardoning and puniſhing of ſinnes, in a word, is ſpirituall grace or power, or juriſdiction over theſe future Converts of his (as generally in the Apoſtles times, and after, he that converted any Country or chiefe City in his Apoſtleſhip, was ſetled as their Biſhop or Governour in ſpirituall matters, and ſo continued all his life, unleſſe having ſetled them, he thought good to commit that office, and power to ſome body elſe, that ſo he might be the more free to go and preach and convert more) though not as yet, becauſe they were not by him as yet converted, yet by way of promiſe in diem to be performed, when time ſhould ſerve; I will give thee the keyes, and whatſoever thou ſhalt bind, &c. the ſumme is, Peter was to be an Apoſtle, and to do wonders in converting whole Nations to Chriſt, and among thoſe whom he thus converted, Chriſt promiſes that he ſhould have a Juriſdiction, a power to govern, and diſcipline, and cenſure, as there ſhould be occaſion in thoſe Churches.
This being thus promiſed to Peter, as a chiefe Apoſtle, and Sect. 4 Confeſſour of Chriſts, not excluſivè by way of excluſion, that none ſhould have this power but he, but honorificè by way of honour mentioned firſt to him by the priviledge of foreign, of being (as I conceive he was) the firſt that was call'd, but more peculiarly as a reward of his notable confeſſion, v. 16. is by Chriſt a little before his parting from the world, after his reſurrection Joh. 20.23. actually inſtated both on him, and cforeign, &c. Theoph. in Matt. 16. p. 94. Though 'twere ſaid only to Peter [I will give thee] yet 'twas given to all the Apoſtles: when? when he ſaid, If you remit any mans ſins, Joh. 21.the reſt of the Apoſtles, who were to ioyne in the ſame office with him of begetting unto Chriſt, and educating thoſe which were ſo begotten, of converting and preſerving, or governing, and in order to that end were to have their ſeverall Provinces aſſigned them (foreign, ſaith Chryſ. every of them his diſtinct part) for Preaching firſt, as afterward for Juriſdiction, which I ſhall adventure to affirme not improbable to be the meaning of foreign, to go to his own place Act. 1.25. applying it not to Judas, but to Matthias, or the foreign, him that ſhould be choſen, and ſo againe moſt probably of the foreign, the part, or lot, or portion of Miniſtery and Apoſtleſhip, in the beginning of the verſe, (the former of them belonging to the office of preaching peculiarly, the latter to that of governing alſo) diſtributed to each, either by lot, or by joynt conſent, and deſignement of that great foreign, the Colledge of the Apoſtles; It being moſt proper and according to analogy, that the foreign thoſe which had laboured and toyl'd in the word and doctrine, for the converting and begetting men to Chriſt, ſhould be alſo thought worthy of the foreign, or foreign, the elder brothers priviledge and prerogative, to be rulers or maſters of the family after the Fathers departure, and ſo be endued with a paternal power of chaſtiſements (i. e. diſcipline) and government for the keeping of them in ſome compaſſe, within the terms of a peaceable, holy, dforeign ▪ Chryſ. in Joh. 20. As a King that ſends out rulers over Provinces, gives them power to caſt in perſon, and to let out; ſo ſending the Apostles he endues them with this power.truly-Chriſtian Congregation; and therefore after the (foreign Joh. 20.21. I ſend you) (the forme of words that made th…m Apoſtles anſwerable to the foreign nuntio's, meſſengers among the Jewes, and not farre unlike to the Proconſuls ſent out, though on a quite diſtant arrant of ſecular power, among the Romans) immediately follows the foreign, he breathed on them (proportionable to God's courſe of making a living ſoul, Gen. 2. v. 2. by breathing on him the breath of life) and ſaid, Receive the Holy Ghoſt, If you remit any mens ſinnes, they are remitted; if you retain, they are retained; which words were apparently delivered, (and in them this power) to as many as were breathed on, i. e. to as many as were eforeign. Theophyl. To all the Apostlesſent by Chriſt, and indeed to no more, unleſſe either firſt by way of Communication from them to their ſucceſſours, or ſecondly by ſpeciall immediate vocation from heaven, by the bath col, as the Hebrewes phraſe is, the daughter of thunder, i. e. voice from heaven ſent to conſecrate them. Thus St Paul who was none of the twelve, yet ſpeaking of the power of excommunicating, ſaith, it was given to him (to him not as a ſucceſſour of the Apoſtles, but to him as one called immediately from heaven) by the Lord, or by Chriſt, 2 Cor. 13.10. In a word, it was by Chriſt immediately then given to the Apoſtles all and each of them, and to none elſe, till Matthias was received into the place of Judas, and St Paul was afterward extraordinarily deſigned, and called unto the ſame office, together with Barnabas, Act. 13.12. proportionably it may ſeem to what befell the twelve Patriarchs, Ephraim and Manaſſes being taken in…, in Joſephs ſtead that died, as theſe two in the place of James the brother of John, who was cut off, before he came to do that work to which he was ſent, the preaching to all Nations.
Sect. 5 Thoſe two places thus agreeing on the ſubjects of this power, or objects of this donation, 'tis already more then probable, that the third witneſſe producible will agree with thoſe two, or if it ſeem otherwiſe, ſure 'twill not be thought reaſonable, that theſe two ſhall be forced and violenced to conſent to that, which is but an alien ſenſe, by ſome Interpreters impoſed upon that third.
Sect. 6 This third place I ſhall ſet down at large, becauſe I acknowledge there is ſome difficulty in it, Matt. 18.15. If thy brother ſhall offend againſt thee, it ſeems the place belongs not (primarily, but onelyonly paritate rationis, by analogie of reaſon) …o all ſins in the latitude, but peculiarly, to treſpaſſes or perſonal injuries done by one brother, one Chriſtian to another; as beſides the expreſſe words v. 15. (if thy brother treſpaſſe againſt thee) is more clear by S. Peters queſtion to the ſame purpoſe, v. 21. (How oft ſhall my brother treſpaſſe againſt me, and I forgive him?) Go and reprove him, foreign i. e. either reprehend him for it, (as the word is uſed ſometimes when 'tis joyned with foreign, chaſten or diſcipline, Heb. 12.5. Apoc. 3.19. or again, foreign, fforeign Phavor. & foreign, ib. & ſo Joh. 3.20. He that doth evil cometh not to the light, lest his deeds ſhould be reproved, foreign [diſcovered] in our margent: and therefore 1 Cor. 14.24. when 'tis ſaid of the unbeliever, that he is convinced of all, &c. 'tis added, v. 25. Thus are the ſecrets of his heart made manifeſt. ſo Epheſ. 5.13. All things that are reproved, or diſcovered, are made manifeſt by the light; for whatſoever doth make manifest, is light.make him ſenſible of the wrong he hath done thee, or as it may be rendred, gforeign, & foreign, & foreign. Ph.make him aſhamed of his fact) betwixt thee and him alone, (i. e. do thy beſt by private admonitions to bring him to a ſenſe) If he heare thee (be thus wrought on) thou haſt gain'd thy brother, gain'd him, firſt to thy ſelf (gotten a friend in ſtead of an enemy:) and ſecondly to Chriſt, gained a Convert, a Proſelyte to him, and this alſo a great acquiſition to thee, to have had the honour of doing that glorious thing, and of being capable of the reward of them, that convert any to righteouſneſſe.
But if he heare thee not, if this firſt method of thy charity, and Sect. 7 diſcipline of this calmer making ſucceed not, another aſſay muſt be made, another artifice uſed, Take with thee (foreign farther, or over and above) one, or two, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word may be eſtabliſhed, i. e. that the thing which thou lai…ſt to his charge, be ſo confirmed; according to that, Joh. 8.17. The teſtimony of two men is true, i. e. of ſufficient authority in law (according to an Hebraiſme, whereby foreign true, among the Greek tranſlators ſignifieth foreign fit to be credited) that ſo either by the teſtimony of theſe as witneſſes, he may no longer be able to deny the fact (as Heb. 6.16. an oath is ſaid to be foreign ▪ for eſtabliſhing, or confirmation, in that it is foreign an end of affirming & denying. The thing ſo eſtabliſht (foreign) or foreign) by oath, cannot be denyed, or the parties denial will longer ſtand him in ſtead) or by authority of theſe he may be induced (as the Judge is on the accuſed, Deut. 10.19. Heb. 10.28.) to give ſentence on, to condemne himſelf; which if it may be obtained, is the prime end of all theſe charitable artifices, to bring the injurious to a ſight and ſhame, the beſt preparatives to reformation; To which purpoſe is that of Tertullian, Apol. c. 39. Diſciplinam praeceptorum inculcationibus denſamus, We thicken the doctrine of precepts with waies of inculcating, i. e. preſſe them to reformation, whom our doctrine will not prevail on; where he mentions theſe three degrees, exhortationes, caſtigationes, cenſura; exhortations, and chaſtiſements, and then cenſure.
Sect. 8 By what hath been ſaid of this place, and in it by obſerving the method of the firſt and ſecond admonition, you will by the way underſtand the meaning of that obſcure verſe in St Paul, 2 Cor. 13.1. This third time I come unto you, in the mouth of two or three witneſſes ſhall every word be eſtabliſhed, &c. It refers clearly to this uſage of the ſecond admonition. St Paul had written before, which was as it were the firſt ſingle admonition, which v. 2. he cals (foreign I told you formerly;) but that prevailing not, at his third coming (which it ſeems was his ſecond medling with this matter, foreign, I foretell you the ſecond time, ver. 2. he doth that which is anſwerable to the taking with him foreign, one or two more, as appears by the addition of theſe very words which are in Matth. [in the mouth of two or three witneſſes, &c.] which is, you ſee, the ſtile and character of the ſecond admonition. This by the way.
Sect. 9 But if he hear not them (foreign, if he be ſtill refractary, either through non-conviction of the fact, or non-contrition for it) if this ſecond admonition be not in event foreign, 2 Cor. 13.10 to edification, or inſtruction, if it work not on him, then tell it to the Church, (I ſhall tell you what that is preſently) and if he hear not the Church (continue his refractarineſſe ſtill) let him be unto thee as a heathen or a publican] which may poſſibly ſignifie, that in that caſe thou haſt liberty to implead him, as thou wouldſt do any heathen, in any foreign heathen Court, for that injury, that treſpaſſe done to thee, which was at the firſt mentioned. For certainly though it were unlawful for a Chriſtian, both here, and 1 Cor. 6.1. to implead a Chriſtian for a perſonall treſpaſſe before a heathen tribunal, yet to deal thus with a heathen (or publican which was in account the ſame) was not either by Chriſt, or the Apoſtle counted unlawful (but only the foreign, i. e. Chriſtian with Chriſtian, v. 6.) and conſequently with a perverſe refractary brother, whom you ſee Chriſt gives leave to account and deal with, as with a heathen or publican, it would not be unlawful alſo. But another interpretation I ſhall not doubt to propoſe to you, that by heathen and publican may be meant a deſperate deplored ſinner, ſuch as the Rabbins call foreign i. e. foreign a ſinner, as in the Goſpel foreign, a deplored ſinner; Thus in Muſar, If he will not then, (i. e. when two or three friends have been taken to be preſent at his admonition) be reconciled, go and leave him to himſelf; for ſuch an one is implacable, and is called foreign, of whom again 'tis there ſaid, Si nec hoc modo quicquam profecerit, i. e. adhibitis amicis, if this ſecond admonition doe no good, debet eum pudefacere coram multis, he muſt be aſhamed before many, (which may be the meaning of Dic Eccleſiae, Tell it to the Church, as will anon appear by 1 Tim. 5.10.) and this interpretation of that phraſe will ſeem moſt probable, if you mark 1. That foreign & foreign publicans and ſinners are frequently joyned together in the Goſpel, as once Publicans and harlots, thoſe foreign ſinner-women. 2. That the heathen are call'd foreign ſinners, as when 'tis ſaid that Chriſt was by the Jews delivered into the hands of ſinners, i. e. Romans heathen, and in St Paul [not ſinners of the Gentiles:] and then thoſe words, [Let him be to thee a heathen and a publican] will ſound no more, but [give him over as a deſperate deplored ſinner,] to whom thoſe priviledges of a Chriſtian (viz. of not being impleaded before an heathen tribunal) &c. do not belong, i. e. leave him to himſelf. This ſure is the ſimpleſt rendring of the place; and then he that is ſuch, that is capable of that denomination, is certainly fit, and ripe for the cenſures of the Church, which follow in the next verſe, …nd are appointed to go out againſt this refractory incorrigible.
For ſo immediately it follows, Verily I ſay unto you: who are Sect. 10 thoſe you? why 1. In the plurall number [foreign.] Secondly▪ foreign to you diſciples (for ſo in the firſt verſe foreign the diſciples came to him with a queſtion, and v. 3. he ſaid, Verily I ſay to you, i. e. to you diſciples, and v. 12. foreign, what do you think? asking the diſciples, or appealing to their own judgement, and ſo ſtill the ſame auditors continued, and his ſpeech addreſt to them, I ſay unto you diſciples) whatſoever you ſhall bind on earth, &c.
Sect. 11 After this, it follows v. 19. again I ſay unto you, that if two of you ſhall agree upon earth, &c.] Many falſe illations are by men of different perſwaſions made from theſe words, which will all vaniſh, I conceive, and the truth be diſ-involved, if the Reader will not deſpiſe this one obſervation which I ſhall offer to him; and it is this, that the method oft-times uſed in Scripture is, (when it hath propoſed one or two ſeverals to ſpeak of) to reſume the laſt firſt, and ſo orderly to go back, till it come to the firſt, to which you may accommodate that expreſſion, and deſcription of Gods method in other things. Many that are laſt, are firſt (the laſt in propoſing, firſt in handling or reſuming,) and the firſt laſt.
If there be two things mentioned one after another, and any occaſion to adde any thing on each of them, then I ſay the obſervation is, that the Scripture ſometimes uſes to reſume the ſecond firſt, and the firſt after that. And ſo if there be more then two. I ſaid this was oft-times the manner and ſtile of Scripture, and to make good my obſervation, I am a little obliged to go out of my way, and preſent you with ſome examples. Three viſible ones I ſhall offer you out of one book, the Epiſtle to the Hebrews. Firſt, Chap. 5. where in the foure firſt verſes there are three things propounded of an High Prieſt, 1. That he offer for ſinne, and negotiate the cauſe of men with God. 2. That he be compaſſionate toward ſinners, and to that end he himſelf infirme, and offer for himſelfe as well as the people. 3. That he be called to this office by God himſelf. To theſe three the Author ſpeaks particularly (and applies them to Chriſt) in the remainder of the Chapter, by way of foreign, to the laſt, firſt, v. 5, 6. So likewiſe Chriſt glorified not himſelf to be made an high Prieſt, &c. To the ſecond next, v. 7. & 8. who in the dayes of his fleſh offered up prayers, and ſupplications, prayers, and the ceremonies of petitioners (for ſo hforeign. Phavor.foreign properly ſignifies, olive branches, the embleme that petitioners uſed to have in their hands) with ſtrong crying and teares to him that was able to deliver him out of death, (as when he commended his ſpirit into Gods hands, and cryed with a loud voice, Matth. 27.50. Mark 15.37. Luke 23.46. at the delivering theſe words) And iforeign.was heard, for, or by his piety, through the great ardency of that his prayer (expreſt both by the loud voice in three Evangeliſts, and by the bodily worſhip, bowing of his head, in the fourth, Joh. 19.30.) or as it may poſſibly ſignifie, He was delivered from his fear, i. e. from that which he feared and prayed againſt. And though he were a Son, yet from the things he ſuffered, he learnt obedience, (whether to God thus deſigning him to thoſe ſufferings, and to that office of hearing prayers, or to men, by giving them audience in their prayers, as foreign ſignifies, ſo to heare, as to anſwer a requeſt.) And then the Author returns to the firſt, laſt, v. 9. Being made perfect he became the author of eternall ſalvation, &c.
Thus ſecondly, Heb. 9.1. the Author having named two things, the foreign, the ordinances of worſhip, and the foreign, he dilates firſt of the latter of them, v. 2, 3, 4, 5. For there was a tabernacle made, the firſt, &c. and after the ſecond vaile, the tabernacle, &c. and over it the Cherubims of glory ſhadowing the foreign the (not mercy-ſeat, but) kSo foreign from foreign (which ſignifies both to propitiate and to cover) is here to be rendred covering, and though the Greek be foreign from the former ſenſe of the word, yet being to denote a part of the Ark in this place, it muſt be taken in the other ſenſe of the Hebrew, and rendred, as if it had been foreign, As 'tis Exod. 26.34. and 30.6. or as the Hebrew foreign if it had been retained, would have imported.covering of the arke, &c. all theſe belonging to the ſecond particular, and then afterwards he comes back to the former, the ordinances of worſhip, v. 6. Now …hen theſe things were thus ordain'd, the Prieſt went alwaies, &c.
So thirdly, Chap. 10.33. the Author having mentioned two acts of ſuffering in them, the firſt perſonall in themſelves, by reproaches, and afflictions, the ſecond by way of ſympathy with their Apoſtle, foreign, partakers with, or relievers of others that were ſo toſſed; in the next verſe he reſumes both again, but firſt the latter, For ye had compaſſion of me in my bands, ver. 34. and then ſecondly the former, took joyfully the ſpoyling of your goods.
This is farther evidenced by an example in this Goſpel, Matth. 5.6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither caſt your pearls before ſwine, leſt they tread them under their feet, and turning again, tear and rend thee. Where there is no doubt, but the former of theſe latter ſpeeches belongs to the latter of the former, and the latter of the latter to the former of the former; per modum regreſſus, by way of going backward thus, Leſt the ſwine tread the pearls under their feet, and Leſt the dogs rend and tear thee. For it is not the manner of ſwine to fall upon men, and tear them, but of dogs it is; and it is not the manner of dogs to tread a thing under their feet, but of ſwine it is; So the 2 Cor. 2.15. St Paul having mentioned the foreign firſt, and then the foreign, them that are ſaved, and them that periſh; he goes back, ver. 16. Firſt to the latter of them, to thoſe a ſavour of death unto death, but to theſe a ſavour of life unto life; So in the Epiſtle to Philemon v. 5. hearing of thy love, and faith which thou haſt towards the Lord Jeſus, and towards all the Saints; 'tis apparent that the Lord Jeſus is the object of the faith, and the [all Saints] the object of the love. So again Rom. 14. having ſet down two heads of diſcourſe, that the ſtrong ſhould not ſet at nought the weake; nor ſecondly the weake judge or condemne the ſtrong, v. 3. he reſumes the latter firſt, v. 4. who art thou that judgeſt? and then v, 10. returns to the former, and thou why doſt thou ſet at nought thy brother? So Matth. 23.25. Chriſt having mention'd firſt the outſide of the cup or platter, then the inſide, v. 26. he returns firſt to the cleanſing of the inſide, then the outſide of it. So 1 Cor. 6.11. after the generall of waſhing, which contains the two ſubſequent, ſanctifying and juſtifying; the mention of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which is firſt named, muſt belong to the latter of the two, that of juſtification; and the Spirit of our God to the former, that of ſanctifying.
Other examples of this obſervation I ſhall leave the Reader Sect. 12 to obſerve, when he reads the Scripture more ponderingly, and only proceed to help him to take notice of it in the point in hand. Three caſes, it is apparent, are here mention'd orderly by our Saviour in the matter of treſpaſſe, 1. Telling the treſpaſſer of his fault between him and thee alone. Secondly, taking one or two with thee, to do it more convincingly, and with greater authority. Thirdly, telling the Church of it. Having ſaid ſomewhat to each of theſe, as he delivered them in the three firſt verſes, 15, 16, 17. he reſumes the matter again, and ſpeakes firſt to the laſt of them, v. 18. telling them, what, after the not ſucceeding of the third admonition, the Apoſtles and their ſucceſſors are to doe, when the cognizance of this injury and contumacy comes before them (which, that in every caſe of treſpaſſe, it alwayes ſhould, I conceive, doth not hence appear to be neceſſary, ſave only in caſe that the Magiſtrate or ſecular tribunal be heathen, becauſe that ſuppoſition may perhaps be the ground of the ſit tibi Ethnicus, on which the other is ſuperſtructed) viz. excommunicate ſuch a refractary till reformation, and then upon that, abſolve him again, and [verily I ſay unto you, whatſoever you ſhall bind on earth, &c.] From this view it is not irrational to conclude, that the foreign and the foreign, the Church and the diſciples (conſidered prophetically under the notion of Apoſtles, i. e. Founders firſt, then Governours of Churches) may in that place ſignifie the ſame thing. So ſaith St Chryſoſt. in Mat. Hom. 6. foreign, Tell it to the Church, i. e. to the Preſidents and Rulers of it; and Theophyl. in Mat. 18. foreign, &c. the Church for the Rulers of the Church; To which purpoſe it is obſervable, what Kimchi a Jewiſh learned Rabbi hath affirmed, that the Governours, and Rulers are oft meant by the word foreign, or Congregation; and ſo Philo, foreign, the Congregation is the Prieſts. Agreeable to which is the inſcription of the ancient Apoſtolical Epiſtle of Clemens Romanus to the Corinthians, foreign, The Church of God that dwels at Rome, meaning, I conceive by the title [the Church] himſelf (who wrote the Epiſtle, and was chief there, or Biſhop at that time) and the other Clergy with him; For ſo the other part of the inſcription [foreign, to the Church of God at Corinth] is after explained by him, in the words foreign, to the Biſhops, and Deacons; but if this will not be acknowledged, then by foreign I ſhal give you leave to underſtand any meeting or Congregation of pious men, either a conſeſſus Presbyterorum, a Colledge of Presbyters, which were ordinarily aſſiſtant to the Biſhop in the antient Church, or poſſibly the whole or any part of the people convened, whoſe authority or conſent may work ſomewhat upon the offender, as St Paul conceives it were apt to doe, when he commands Timothy, foreign, to rebuke the offenders before all men, i. e. in the preſence of the community of the people, 1 Tim. 5.20. and perhaps when he ſpeaks of the foreign, 2 Cor. 2.6. the rebuke that was by or under the many, though it be not certain whether that ſignifie the chaſtiſement, (as our Engliſh reads) puniſhment and cenſure inflicted by the Presbyterie, or foreign under them, thoſe aſſiſting or joyning in the cenſure, foreign, acts of Canonical ſeverity, (which in caſe of ſorrow and relenting of the offender upon rebuke, or admonition before ejection out of the Church, were wont to be thought ſufficient without excommunication, and after excommunication, as in this place to the Corinthians, if they were ſubmitted to, were ſufficient, though not preſently to reſtore him to the communion, yet to make him capable of being prayed for by the Church, 1 Joh. 5.16. and to be delivered from the ſtripes of Satan, the diſeaſes that the delivering to Satan in the Apoſtles times brought upon them;) or whether, as the words may be rendred, it import the rebuke, or reproof, viz. the third admonition, (or the ſecond given by the Biſhop, which was equivalent to that) which was foreign under, or in the preſence of many, viz. of the people or Congregation. The former of theſe ſenſes ſeems more agreeable to the place to the Cor. the latter rather to belong to that in the 1 Tim. and ſo that which even now in Muſar was coram multis, before many, and in S. Paul (if not foreign under many, yet) foreign in the preſence of all men, Chriſt may here expreſſe by foreign the Church. This interpretation being admitted, or not rejected, it then follows commodiouſly, and reaſonably in the text of the Evangeliſt, that after the matter is brought to them (i. e. to thoſe many) or after this act of reproofe, or rebuke before them, & upon continued refractarineſſe to theſe laſt admonitions, then the foreign (that ſure is) the Apoſtles or Governors of the Church, the Paſtors, (which cannot be in any reaſon excluded from under the former word foreign Church, whatſoever it ſignifies) and thoſe already promiſed this power, chap. 16. may, or ſhall bind, or excommunicate them. And that is the ſumme of the 18. v. in reference to the 17. and then v. 19. Again I ſay unto you, (or as a very lIn Coll. Magd. Oxon.antient Manuſcript, and ſome printed copies read it, foreign, again verily I ſay unto you, that ſecond verily noting the ſpeech to be of a new matter) that if two of you ſhall agree upon the earth, or here below, (in reference to the ſecond thing mention'd, v. 16. take with you one or two) concerning any thing, which they ſhall aske, it ſhall be done unto them of my Father, &c. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midſt of them, which words are brought to give authority to the ſolemn admonitions of the ſecond order (addreſt by the injur'd man, accompanied with one or two aſſiſtants or witneſſes to inforce them) by telling them, that as the conſeſſus trium virorum, the aſſize of three men among the Jewes had ſome power; ſo ſhall any two or three Chriſtians be conſiderable in this matter, having the priviledge of Gods preſence, as in their prayers thus united, ſo alſo in this act of united admonition; for, firſt, God is to be thought to be in the midſt of them, (as that fourth perſon added to the three children in the furnace, and the face of that fourth like the Son of God) to be preſent with them (as it is 1 Cor. 5.4.) in this his ordinance, in this piece of Diſcipline apointed by him; whereupon the foreign the refractarineſſe of the tranſgreſſor is become ſo much the greater in this caſe; and beſides, ſecondly, if upon admonition, they ſhall be hearkned to, it will be in their power to pray for the penitent treſpaſſer, (as James 5.16.) and that prayer of theirs joyned with the injured perſon is likely to be more effectuall then a ſingle prayer, and ſo in both theſe reſpects a greater weight is ſet on the foreign the taking of one, or two with him. Thus having returned to the ſecond of the three, in the ſecond place, and diſpatched that, the method would direct to go on to the firſt again in the third place; but in ſtead of that, St Peter it ſeems asks again about it, how long a man is to forgive private injuries; and the anſwer in the following words ſupplieth the place of having proceeded to that, and ſerves for the concluſion of the whole matter.
The reſult then of this whole Chapter is this, that of the Sect. 13 three places of the Goſpel, concerning the donation of the power of binding, and looſing, two of them at the firſt ſight moſt clearly convince, this power to be given to the Apoſtles, as governors of the Church, (which will not be communicable to any, but either to others that are foreign alſo, ſet apart to the office, immediately by Chriſt, or to their ſucceſſours, foreign. Theoph. in Mat. 18.) and the third upon a thorough conſideration doth the ſame alſo. For this we have the plain teſtimony of Theophylact on that place Mat. 18. foreign, &c. The power of binding and looſing was given to all the Apoſtles; When? why, when he ſaid, Whoſe ſins ye remit, they are remitted, &c. i. e. in this place of St John: and again, [foreign] foreign. [and I will give] it ſignifies the future, i. e. the time after the reſurrection, which is that in S. John alſo; and again on Mat. 16. foreign, where the binding in S. Mat. and the remitting in S. John are put together, as belonging to the ſame matter: and it is confirm'd by no mean authority, that of S. Paul himſelf, of himſelf, 2 Cor. 13.10. where ſpeaking of theſe cenſures, (noted there by foreign uſing exciſion, & foreign, which is all one, and which, it ſeems, he as an Apoſtle was to uſe among them, he, not the Congregation; foreign I will not ſpare) he addeth foreign, according to the power that Chriſt hath given me, (which ſure was not peculiar to him, but common to the reſt of the Apoſtles, which had it before him, and in a more ordinary way) and ver. 3. he diſtinctly calls it, Chriſt ſpeaking in him, a high expreſſion, making every ſuch act of judicature in him, an act of Chriſt.